An Understanding
by CatChester
Summary: After an unexpected attack, Sookie and Eric finally have their long overdue talk.
1. Chapter 1

Title: An Understanding

Author: Cat Chester

Rating: M

Paring: Eric/Sookie

Disclaimer: Not mine, but I've started saving to buy them. Current total: £4.15p.

Spoilers: All 8 books

Summary: After an unexpected attack, Sookie and Eric finally have that talk.

AN:

To say I was hysterical would be an understatement. I was demented, yet all my shouting, crying and fighting weren't doing a damn bit of good, to either me or Eric.

It had seemed like such a simple request, asking to pull over at the rest stop, and ordinarily it would have been fine, except that with my luck, a group of anti vampire rednecks had to pull in a minute or two behind us.

To give me and Eric our due, they were very organised rednecks, and it looked like they had experience doing this, they came prepared.

I had no inkling what was happening until I'd heard a shout of triumph. I'd scanned the area and found four human brains, all intent on killing Eric. I could tell from their thoughts that they already had him wrapped in a silver net and had begun torturing him. This highway was quiet at night, they weren't expecting to be interrupted.

I weighed my options, and there weren't many. The bathroom didn't have any other exits, I couldn't see anything that might conceivably be used as a weapon. I did try lifting the trash can, even though I hadn't thought of a use for it, but it was bolted to the floor.

Surprise was my only weapon, and it really wasn't a good one. For the first time in a long while, I wished I had some vampire blood in me. I really didn't want to risk any more vampire blood, but when it was a choice between that or dying… well, I could be pragmatic.

I ran out of the bathroom like a bat out of hell, straight into the closest attacker, who was happily watching the scene. I knocked him to the ground and got one good blow to his face in before his pal, who had also been watching, grabbed me. To my utter surprise, I felt a pair of handcuffs close around my wrists.

Were these off duty cops? If so this was even worse than I feared. The men's thoughts were too aggressive right now to get any information about them, all they thought about was killing Eric. Even I didn't seem to feature much in their thoughts, aside from the one I'd clocked, he wasn't having very charitable thoughts about me. He grabbed my other arm and helped his buddy hold me still. Cuffed I may be, but I was still putting up a fight.

They were all large men, the hands holding me felt calloused, so they might have been manual workers. The two working on Eric seemed the biggest, and in this gang I guessed biggest equalled leader. One was as tall as Eric with close cropped dark hair, the other was a little shorter and red-haired.

Eric looked bad. They had begun by kicking him but soon tired of that, they had moved onto a knife which they plunged into him, over and over, through the holes in the netting.

I could see that they hadn't secured the net closed and knew Eric could find his way out, if left alone, but he had no chance to with the two of them standing over him.

I struggled as hard as I could, but I wasn't getting anywhere fast.

The knife went away and I almost breathed a sign of relief, until I saw the thoughts of the red-head. He had a silver knife.

Would a silver knife kill Eric? If they stabbed him in the heart, surely it would.

Escape for me wasn't an option, I just didn't have the strength to overpower two men while handcuffed. My only hope was Eric and his only hope was getting out of the netting. I needed a distraction and I didn't have a lot of options.

The silver knife gleamed in the moonlight and the two men grinned at each other. That was a grin of pure evil. They slipped it gently, almost lovingly into Eric and I saw his jaw clench. His face was as inhuman as I'd ever seen it but he didn't scream.

It was now or never. I ceased my screaming and struggling and began to choke. I had seen a classmate choke once at lunch, I remembered it well. I wasn't good at shielding myself then and until a quick thinking teacher performed the Heimlich, her certainty that she would die was palpable. The incident had been indelibly etched in my memory.

The men holding me felt panicked.

"Shit! She musta swallowed her tongue." one informed the others. They were still holding me up but the men over Eric had diverted their attention to me.

I gave a few last splutters then fell limp.

"Shit!"

I felt myself being lowered to the ground and was careful to breath as little and as shallowly as possible.

"She's dead, Harvey."

Harvey was the dark haired one, the leader.

"Nothin' the vamp lovin' bitch don't deserve," he barked.

A new voice piped up, "But the cops! They don't pay much mind to vamp murders, ain't much of a body and all, but they're gonna notice this, man."

I heard footsteps coming over to me. "Check for a pulse," Harvey ordered.

I felt someone take my wrist.

"Not there, dip shit, feel her neck." The fingers moved to my neck and I tried to slow my pulse.

"Got it, she's still alive."

No one spoke for a moment after that, they were all deciding what to do about me. I wish I could look over at Eric and see what he was doing.

"We gotta get her to a hospital."

"She's a fang banger."

"If we clean up the vamp murder it's only assault on her. If we kill her it'll be murder for sure."

"She's seen our faces."

From their thoughts I determined that Harvey wanted to kill me but two of his friends didn't. The fourth didn't mind either way.

Then I heard a startled cry and opened my eyes in time to see the red-head thrown into the wall. I heard a neck snap but I was concentrating on tripping the one to my left. He fell hard and I kicked him in the head and felt my feel go into his skull. I turned around to see the others were all lying on the ground too, including Eric. He had fought them off but it had taken everything he had.

I needed my hands and my first task was to try and slip them over my rear and down my legs so they were in front of me. It took some wriggling and I wished I'd laid off Amelia's cookies, but I managed it. I didn't waste time looking for the key.

I rushed over to Eric but he wasn't moving. I called his name but got no reply. I wasn't surprised considering the silver net and how bad his beating had been. I'd seen better looking hamburgers.

First things first, he needed blood. I considered giving him mine, but I'd need my strength to get him out of here. I dragged the closest body over to him and tried to position it so the jugular was over Eric's mouth. It wasn't perfect, but I hoped Eric would come around when he tasted blood and feed himself.

I found the knife and slit along one side of his throat, watching the blood drip onto Eric. He still had a pulse which helped pump the blood out. I used my hand to cup the blood around his mouth and he began swallowing as a reflex while the blood pooled in his mouth.

I was killing someone to save Eric.

I pushed that thought away, now wasn't the time for guilt.

After a minute or two his eyes flickered open and I smiled weakly at him.

"Can you manage on your own?" I asked.

He blinked, which I took for a yes and I ran to the car, pulling my phone from my purse. I rang Pam's mobile.

"Sookie, how was your meeting?" she asked, warmly. Well, it was warm for her.

"No time," I didn't like being rude but time was of the essence here. "I got myself into a bit of a bind and Eric had to rescue me. We need a clean up at…" I didn't know where we were exactly.

"Sookie?"

"I don't know where we are," I said weakly.

"Leave your phone there, we'll find you."

Figured Eric would have a way to trace the GPS in my phone, but right now I couldn't find it in me to be mad.

"Great, one more thing, I'm taking Eric to my home. Don't come and get him until he calls you."

"Understood."

"Thank-" I began but she hung up before I could finish.

I rushed back to Eric. He looked slightly better, but not much.

"Another one?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No time, we have to get out of here before someone finds us."

He nodded his understanding. I pulled the body off him and helped him to his feet. He leaned heavily on me as I guided him to the car. I could hear the engine still running and I propped him against it, opened the passenger door and helped him in as best I could.

I ran around the other side, jumped in and secured my seat belt. I sped off as quickly as I dared with my hands still cuffed. The last thing I needed was to be pulled over for speeding.

III

Eric passed out again in the car and I woke Amelia to help me carry him into my bedroom. It wasn't very easy but we managed.

Octavia awoke at the noise we were making and performed a healing ritual, but it didn't work very well. I knew he needed blood and I was the only willing donor present. He was too badly injured for synthetic blood, he needed the real thing.

I wanted to free my hands and tried to slip them out of the cuffs, but there wasn't enough room. I didn't own any tools that might do the job so for the moment, they would have to stay on.

I ushered the witches out as quickly as I could, thanking them for their help and closed the door behind them. I could tell they were worried but they finally left me to it. I ran to the bathroom and collected what I needed. A safety razor, gauze, bandages and plaster.

I pulled a chair up beside the bed and began working on the razor. Finally I broke it and extracted the blade. I prepared the first aid supplies, glad I kept so many on hand these days, and put my wrist over his mouth. I closed my eyes, collecting my resolve and finally opened them, slicing along the length of a vein in my wrist. It wasn't easy but there was just enough slack in the chain to allow this.

The cut was small. I didn't want to open it any further unless I had to. The blood flowed freely and I clamped my wrist over Eric's mouth. I saw him begin to swallow and felt his fangs elongate but he made no move to hold my wrist in place. He was still out of it.

I could feel the blood flow slowing and took my wrist away, reopening the wound and making it a little longer. I repeated this three more times until the cut on my wrist was about two thirds of an inch long. The final time his hands came up and held my wrist in place. A very good sign, but his eyes remained closed.

I felt a little light headed and daren't didn't dare open the wound any further so as the blood flow slowed again I removed my wrist, easily breaking his hold, and began to bandage it up.

The door opened and Pam walked in. I hadn't really expected her to stay away.

"Are you alone?" I asked.

She nodded, her gaze fixed on Eric.

"What happened?"

"We got jumped my 4 rednecks on our way back." Pam wouldn't spread gossip about her boss so it was safe to tell her.

"Humans did all this?"

I nodded. Pam still underestimated humans.

"I don't think this was the first time they'd done it."

"No, they were well equipped. Their truck was loaded with stakes, garlic and silver chains."

"You went to clean up?"

"I took a few trusted employees with me, but I gave them your bullshit story." Her tone was amused. She finally noticed me bandaging my wrist, badly thanks to the handcuffs. "Here," she held a key up. I offered her my wrists and she undid the handcuffs. "When we didn't find the cuffs I figured you might need these," she smiled. I rolled my eyes, Pam's life would me much duller without me in it.

"Thanks."

"You gave him blood?" she asked.

I nodded.

"How much?"

I shrugged. I didn't know how much blood I'd just lost. "A few pints, maybe, and he drained one of the attackers."

"I wondered why one of them had his throat slit."

"Is that enough?" I asked.

"It should be. Now we just need to give it time to work."

It was getting close to dawn but I didn't want to stash him in the hidey hole across the hall, I wanted him where I could keep an eye on him. I wondered what it would take to make my windows light proof.

Weren't there some large sheets of ply board out in the tool shed from when the kitchen had been rebuilt? Surely if I nailed those over the windows outside that would do it. I could always cover him in extra blankets if that wasn't enough.

"Pam, will you help me board up the windows? Have you got time?"

"If we work fast."

We did. Thankfully November meant a few more hours of darkness. We worked quickly. Pam nailing the boards in place, me handing her what she needed. One window had two smaller boards over it and I covered the seam in duct tape as Pam said goodbye. I should have offered her the bolt hole Bill had built, but Octavia was sleeping in that bedroom and might not take kindly to me stashing a vampire in her closet.

Pam didn't object. I also went around the edges of the boards with duct tape, just to be sure, then as the sky was getting light, I went inside.

Eric looked even more shocking now that I had time to really look him over. His wounds looked a little better, of course but his clothes were a ragged, bloody mess.

I set about stripping him (he was going to love that piece if information when he awoke) and then got a pan of warm water to give him a sponge bath.

He was dead to the world now (no pun intended) and I knew I could do pretty much what I wanted without waking him.

His stab wounds were closed but still scabbed. He must have had at least two dozen but I tried not to count. There were two wounds made by the silver knife and they looked particularly nasty.

As I cleaned and dried each area, I remembered the last time he'd stayed in my home and the wonderful times we'd shared in this very bed. The fact he could now remember was disturbing. My feelings for Eric were conflicted, to say the least, and I never knew from moment to moment which feeling would win out.

I rolled him over and once again saw that perfect butt I liked so much. Dragging my thoughts from the gutter, I got some clean water and cleaned his back. Most of his wounds had been to his chest so his back was dirty but not very bloody.

I now also needed to change the top blanket. I poured the water out and got a fresh blanket. It was difficult but by tucking the free half of the bloody one under his body and ruffling half the new one up in the middle, I was able to roll Eric back onto the clean sheet, remove the old one completely and spread the other clean half out over the other side.

There, done. I checked the windows, they seemed light tight, and stripped out of my own clothes. I didn't bother to change in the bathroom since Eric was unlikely to wake now even if I did the dance of the seven veils for him. I climbed into the shower and cleaned up as quickly as I could, washing all the grime out of my hair. I should wait for it to dry but I was too exhausted. I pulled on my night gown and settled down, under the sheets, next to Eric. I left the bedside light on in case he woke up first. I didn't want him to feel uneasy when he awoke.

III

The next thing I was aware of was a hand trailing up and down my back. My first reaction was to swat it away, which is exactly what I did, only to find my wrist caught in a vice like grip. I would later be thankful it was my good wrist as I tried to yank it out of the hold.

"Sookie?"

Eric's voice shocked me and my head shot up as I tried to decipher what was happening. It took me a moment to remember exactly why we were in bed together.

I let my head fall back down to the pillow and he released my wrist and began rubbing my back again. I swatted him away once more telling him, "Don't do that."

"Why not?" he crooned.

"Because I don't like it."

"I think the problem is that you like it too much. More than you're comfortable with."

I made to get up but he grabbed my waist. His hold was unbreakable but not tight.

"If I promise to stop, will you lie with me a while longer?" I examined his face and he looked sincere. I nodded and lay back down.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Better, much better, thanks to you." His wounds were now pink scars and they would heal completely in another day or two.

"Do you want some more blood?"

"Judging from your colouring, you've given too much already."

Maybe that's why I still felt so tired. "What time is it?"

"Just after dusk. I can't be more specific, my watch seems to be missing."

"It's probably with your clothes," I pointed to the pile of shredded garments in the corner.

He nodded and put a hand out to stroke my hair. I remembered washing it before crawling into bed so it must be a knot of tangles by now.

"You look nice in the morning."

I snorted. "Liar," but his words warmed me anyway.

"You light proofed your windows for me." It was a statement so I didn't answer. "And you protected my reputation last night, you knew it would embarrass me to have been overcome by humans."

I shrugged.

He sighed. "You confuse me like no other women ever has, Sookie. I simply don't understand you."

There wasn't a lot I could do about that so I shrugged again.

"Tell me, Sookie, honestly, how do you feel about me?"

His face was earnest and he reminded me of the Eric who had shared my bed. I wanted to be honest with him, but I was afraid to.

"Can't you tell?" I snapped. Thanks to the blood bond we shared, he could tell a lot more about me than I would have liked.

"I can only feel how you feel at any one time, not how you feel about specific people."

I huffed, considered denying him his answer then thought better of it. He would only badger me if I didn't give him something.

"Most of the time you infuriate me," I answered honestly. "You're frustrating, annoying and temperamental and I hate that you have so much power over me."

"There's a fine line between love and hate," he told me taking my hand and rubbing his thumb over my palm.

I just stared back.

"So most of the time I annoy you, what about the rest of the time, how do you feel then?"

I didn't have the energy to glare.

"Sookie, do you love me?"

Being this close to him again, when he looked so much like the Eric I had confided in and while his touch was driving me crazy, I found it hard to lie.

"Oh, Eric," I sighed, wearily. "If you can remember that weekend, don't you know?"

"Say it." He demanded. How could he order me and still sound so appealing?

"No."

"Sookie," his tone said he would brook no argument.

"You say it." I turned the tables. The best defence is a good offence, after all.

"I love you," his eyes were boring into mine. I couldn't believe he had just said it. Eric, the real Eric who valued his so pride very much, had just declared his love for me.

He pulled me closer to him and I rested my head on his chest. This was easier if I didn't have to look at him.

"I love you," I mumbled, rather ungraciously. He heard, of course.

"Then why wont you be with me?" it was a simple question, and in my heart I knew it had a simple answer.

"Because I know that one day, you'll break my heart. Even if you don't mean to."

"You really think so little of me?" he asked.

"No, but I know you, Eric."

"I can give you everything, Sookie."

"Children?" I asked. I knew it was a low blow, but it was also true.

"What if you fell in love with a mortal who couldn't give you children? Would you leave him?"

"It's not the same thing," I protested. "With a human, it might not happen, but with you I know it won't."

"Aren't you a little young to be feeling your biological clock?"

"Aren't you a little old to be chasing a twenty-something?"

"Touché." He began stroking my hair, a simple, affectionate gesture. "You could always adopt, or inseminate," he said after a moment.

Of course I could. I'd thoroughly considered my options while I was with Bill. But there were other, bigger obstacles to our union. "It's not just that, Eric. Power is too important to you and you'll come to regret loving me because it will make you dependant on me. You'll grow to resent me and that will lead you to try and hurt me."

"Sookie, I already feel dependent on you. Do you think I devote so much time and energy to other humans? Even useful humans? Do you think I take the trouble to surprise them, give them gifts, to leave my work and watch over them when they're doing errands for me? Haven't you noticed that I'm always there when you might be in danger?"

Of course I had.

"And I already resent the hold you have on me Sookie. I hate that your welfare is so important to me, it upsets and infuriates me."

Well, at least he was being honest, even if his words did hurt.

"But despite this, and even though you continue to refuse my advances, have I ever intentionally hurt you?"

Immediately I wanted to retort that he had forced his blood on me in Rhodes, but he was right, that wasn't intentional, on his part. He had been doing his best to protect me.

"You forced Bill to tell me why he came here." That was true, and he knew that would hurt.

"Yes." His voice was sad. "Once I discovered the Queen's plan I debated over what I should do. You deserved the truth, but I knew it would devastate you. Pam offered to break it to you, but that would have been cowardly. Are you sorry you know the truth?"

And there it was again. He was right and I would rather know the truth than live a lie. That didn't mean I had to tell him he was right.

He lightly tapped my shoulder. "Now isn't the time for this talk, you are weak and probably anaemic. You need to eat, then we'll talk."

I dragged myself to the bathroom and pulled a comb through my hair. It was a total mess and I could only pull it into a ponytail. I washed my face and cleaned my teeth, trying not to notice how pale I looked.

When I emerged Eric had left the room. I hoped he'd found something to wear but the thought of him walking in on Octavia naked did make me smile. I pulled clean jeans and a t-shirt on before going to find him.

He was in the kitchen, cooking. My jaw dropped open, not very attractive, I'm sure, but I just couldn't believe it.

He must have known I was there but he didn't turn to me until he'd poured a glass of orange juice. He handed me the glass which I took. "Drink," he commanded, "You need sugar."

I drank half the glass as he returned to the stove.

"You can cook?" I asked.

"Only eggs. You need protein too."

"Where's Amelia and Octavia?" I asked, sitting at the kitchen table. He was looking after me and I found I liked the feeling.

"I asked them for some privacy." He was wearing my pink robe and looked quite comfortable in it. I felt a pang of desire. There was something about a man being comfortable enough in his masculinity to wear women's clothes. Not that I was into cross dressers or anything.

He put a plate of scrambled eggs in front of me and a fork. "Eat," he demanded.

I did. I was famished. While I ate he got a True Blood and warmed it in the microwave before sitting opposite me.

This was a lot to take in. First, Eric was taking care of me, and I was enjoying it far too much, second, he could cook, while Bill hadn't even liked watching me eat, to say nothing of the beautiful chest that was amply on display thanks to the loosely tied robe.

I finished the eggs and put the plate in the sink. He may not look squeamish while I ate, but that didn't mean he necessarily liked it.

When I sat back down he was looking serious. The talk was coming. I wanted to avoid it but good manners prevented me from rescinding his invitation and I knew that was the only thing that had a chance of stopping him. I cursed my grandmother for raising me right.

"We need to talk," he said simply.

"No shit, Sherlock." I snapped.

Eric raised his eyebrows but didn't comment.

"Is this when you badger me into a relationship?"

"No, this is when we talk honestly and openly."

"And then?"

"The ball is in your court."

Okay, I could live with those terms.

"First, you want children." He stated. I wasn't exactly feeling broody, but he was right, one day I did. "I have already given you two alternatives. You need to decide if they are acceptable to you or if you can live without children."

He reached out and took my bandaged wrist, peeling the bandage away.

I took a deep breath. "It's not that I'm craving a baby, Eric. What I want is a family and somehow I can't picture you playing Dad. Especially not to someone else's child."

"I was a father once," he told me, pulling the gauze away. He winced at the wound.

My mouth dropped open again. Eric never talked about his human life. "But you're probably right," he said. "I have no desire to change diapers. Although I suppose the night feeds wouldn't be a problem," he flashed me a grin. "But family isn't only about children, Sookie. It's about being a team, having someone to rely on, to watch your back. In that respect, we would be a family." I watched as his fangs ran out and he bit into the end of his indeed finger. He gently pressed the finger over my wound, rubbing his blood in.

He was right, at least to a degree. I could think about that later. Time to move onto the next obstacle as he said, "What makes you so sure I will hurt you?"

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. There was no one thing I could put my finger on or point at. "But it's just how I feel."

He nodded. "I can't say I blame you," he answered honestly. "You have seen the very worst side of us on many occasions. You have been frightened, lied to and hurt too many times to count."

I knew he didn't mean physically hurt.

"But I have never sought to hurt you, Sookie, nor will I ever. Even if I wanted to, thanks to our bond, I will only succeed in hurting myself if I attempted that." As though to illustrate, he removed his bloody finger and licked my wrist clean. The cut was now nothing but a little pink scar.

And he had a good point, actually. I wondered if my frequent bad moods of late were because I was hurting Eric by keeping him at arms length. Was hurting him, however unintentional that pain was, hurting me too?

Probably.

"Okay, so what happens with I get old?" I asked

He frowned, seemingly confused. "Nothing."

"Eric, you may be a vampire but first and foremost, you are a man, and men are very visual creatures." As I well knew thanks to my gift. "You can't say you'll look at me the same way when I'm old and gray."

He smiled reassuringly. "Age and looks don't mean the same for vampires, although we do appreciate beauty," he nodded appreciatively at me. "But if it bothers you, we can slow the ageing process quite drastically."

"What do you mean?" I asked, sharply. I didn't want to become a vampire.

"Ageing is basically just damage at the cellular level. Vampire blood not only heals, it repairs that damage and you have already taken so much vampire blood that although you are two years older, you look younger than when we first met."

I gasped. I knew I looked better after drinking their blood, but younger? I touched my cheek with my finger tips.

"Your skin is as smooth and beautiful as a child's, Sookie. Think about it, when is the last time you had a blemish or pimple."

For some reason the word pimple struck me as odd but I dismissed it. "Vampire blood keeps you youthful," I said softly. "Do you know how much money women would pay for that?" I thought out loud.

His eyes narrowed but he didn't comment. I wondered if he was unhappy with what I had said. I personally had no desire to stay youthful forever, I had just been thinking out loud.

"I don't know," I said. "I've already had a lot of blood, if I take much more I risk being changed."

"Trust me, I would never let that happen. To stay young, you would only need a small amount every few months."

"I'm not sure I want to stay young forever."

"You would still age, just much more slowly," he said. "And you will still… die. You can, perhaps, double your life expectancy, but little more."

I sat in silence, digesting that. I believed him when he said he would never let me be turned. I wondered if my trust was because of how I genuinely felt, or because of our bond.

Eric sat silently, watching the changing emotions cross my face as he sipped his blood.

"Is there anything else?" he asked eventually.

Any other reasons we couldn't be together, he was asking. There was, the reason I had dumped Quinn. I felt awful once again, but it was undeniably how I felt.

"I want to be first," I said quietly. "For once I want to be the most important thing in someone's life. I know it's selfish but that's how I feel and you love money and power too much to put me first."

He seemed to consider that for a moment before replying. "Sookie, you do come first with me. You're right, I do like my job, perhaps too much, but have I ever let it keep me from you when you needed me?"

No, in all honesty he hadn't.

"I may work long hours some times, it might cause me stress, but I will always drop everything the moment you need me."

I looked into his eyes and could feel him willing me to believe him. "If I asked you to give it up, would you?" I asked quietly.

His face was a picture of anguish because of course he couldn't, and he knew what that meant.

"Yes," he said softly.

What! "What?"

"Yes. If that's what it takes, I will do it."

Oh!... Wow.

"Are you asking me, Sookie?"

"No!" I cried, genuinely shocked. How could he think so little of me? "Eric," I sighed. "I may not like what you do but would never ask you to give it up. It's too important to you, too big a part of who you are. That's why I couldn't accept your offer before." When he had offered to stay with me and get a job while he was cursed. I sometimes regretted saying no, but I couldn't have taken something so important to him, his status, away from him for my benefit.

"But you will use it as a reason not to be with me."

Was he right?

He took my hand. "Sookie, I have proven that you are more important than my work and that you will always come first, whether you choose to be mine or not. Mortal men must work as well, could they really say anything more than I have?"

No, but I didn't say that out loud.

"So, hypothetically, how would this" I gestured between us, "work."

"How ever you want it to. I would like you to live with me, when you are comfortable with that, I would like you to marry me, but if I ask you that now, I fear I will frighten you off."

He was right, of course, I didn't know him nearly well enough to marry him. When I did marry, I waned to be sure because I only planned on doing it once.

"Living in sin," I mused.

He gave a deep, genuine laugh. "Oh, Sookie. Of all my sins, I don't think living together out of wedlock is the one that is likely to gain me entrance to hell."

I had to smile too. And if I were being honest with myself, it was far from the worst of my sins too.

"Until then, lover, we will…" he struggled to find the right word. "Date?"

"What about my job?" I asked. "You wouldn't want a waitress for a wife, surely."

"Your job doesn't bother me," he said. "And I know it means too much to ask you to give it up."

"But the other vampires will look down on you because of it."

He shook his head. "Humans may, but to vampires, humans are already beneath us. Your job titles mean little to us."

Ouch! Well, he had said we'd talk honestly. And on some level, that was reassuring.

"So what happens now?"

His head cocked. "Pam is coming," he told me. "Now you think about whether you want to be with me." His eyes bored into mine. "Don't take too long."

Before I could reply, Pan knocked at the back door and Eric let her in. I saw a smile tug at the corners of her mouth as she drank in his outfit.

"That colour looks good on you," she teased, handing over a pile of clothes. Eric winked and left to change.

Pam sat at the table and I warmed a bottle of blood for her.

"Thanks for clearing up last night," I said, placing the bottle in front of her.

"Yes. I have news on that front."

"What?" asked Eric, already back. I was surprised when he sat at the table, clearly intending to have this conversation in front of me.

"You've heard of the AEA?" she asked me.

"American Evangelical Army, it is to the Fellowship what the IRA was to Sinn Fein. They were part of the AEA?" They'd been responsible for the bombs in Rhodes. I read an article on them in American Vampire last month. In what they called direct action, they were setting up training camps all over America, training people to subdue and kill vampires.

"It looks that way. We hadn't been aware that there was a local cell in Area Five. Or at least we hadn't been informed."

Eric and Pam shared a dark look.

"What?" I asked.

Eric looked at me, I could feel his worry as well as read it in his face. "This is bad."

I nodded. He didn't mean it was just bad for him, I was well known to the fellowship too. Not to mention that I worked with one of its members. I didn't share information with her, but she knew enough about my life that could be harmful if shared with the wrong people.

"What now?" I asked.

"We'll try and gather intelligence," he explained. "See if there are any missing vampires, try and get a feel for how long they've been here."

"It can't have been long, right? You'd know if too many were going missing."

"True. I doubt they're clever enough to only pick on visiting vampires. It's still a major headache and they can still do us all a lot of damage."

"I'll be careful," I assured him.

"I know. I'm also going to ask Bill and Pam to keep an eye on you as much as possible. I hope you don't mind."

He didn't really care if I minded or not, they'd just watch me from afar if I did. But it was nice being asked, and after last night, I really and truly didn't mind in the slightest. I nodded.

"Good." He stood to leave and I followed them to the door. Pam headed out to the car but Eric hesitated. He cupped my cheek and pressed a very chaste kiss on my forehead. "Be safe."

"You too."

He nodded and then was gone.

I wondered how much longer Amelia and Octavia would be gone. I felt safer with them around.


	2. Chapter 2

Not complete unexpectedly, Bill dropped in half an hour later. I invited him in and we ended up watching Gone with the Wind.

It seemed strange to me now, how close Bill and I had once been. Don't get me wrong, I still care a great deal about him and he'll always hold a very special place in my heart, but there's no sexual feelings there any more.

We never watched films in the house when we'd been together, we had better things to do (nudge nudge, wink wink). Right now I couldn't imagine taking him to bed again and that change was still very odd. I supposed I'd come to terms with Bill's various betrayals, I didn't hate him any longer, but I didn't love him either. Well, maybe I did, just a little bit.

The really odd thing was, I felt safe with him around. If I looked at things objectively I'd have to admit that no one had ever hurt me more than Bill, both physically and emotionally, yet here I was, feeling quite safe.

Eric, conversely, had never hurt me. He'd tried to scare me a couple of times, and he'd come on too strong now and then, back when I first knew him, yet him I was scared of.

No wonder men had such a hard time figuring women out, I couldn't even figure myself out.

"Bill, what do you think of Eric? Really."

He paused the video and turned to me. He didn't look happy.

"Why do you want to know?"

I shrugged. "I just can't get a handle on him."

He seemed to accept this, although he didn't quite believe me. He took a few moments, composing his thoughts then he sighed deeply. "He's a good guy."

That I hadn't been expecting. "Really? I thought you two hated each other."

Bill shrugged. "Actually, before you came along, we always got on quite well."

I supposed I could see it. In times of struggle they'd just knuckled down and worked side by side, it just seemed strange to think of them being friends.

"I knew the moment you suggested going to Fangtasia that you'd catch his eye, and I was right."

"Then why did you take me?"

"Because you asked me to." Simple as that. "But to answer your question, you're real question, you could do a lot worse." He looked sad, but not self pitying.

I remembered the times Bill had told me to go to Eric if anything had happened to him, so of everyone he'd met, or every vampire at least, Eric was, presumably, his first choice for me, after Bill himself, of course.

"He's hard but fair, he won't use force if he can finesse a situation, he's civilised and… and he cares a great deal about you."

"How much is he paying you?" I joked, because I really hadn't expected that. Considering Eric was his rival, in Bills eyes at least, that was high praise indeed. I guess I'd been hoping to hear what a womaniser he was, how he'd use me, chew me up and spit me out, or words to that effect.

I'd been looking for an excuse.

Bill pressed play and carried on watching the film while I brooded beside him.

III

Amelia and Octavia got home around 10. Bill said he'd stay outside until dawn. I told him he was welcome to stay inside and watch TV, which I think pleased him, but for the moment he wanted to scout the woods. I gave him a key so he could come and go as he pleased, locking the door behind him.

I filled Amelia and Octavia in on the trouble brewing, they'd got the abbreviated version last night. They checked the wards on the house, although most wouldn't repel a run of the mill human attacker. That was why Bill was here.

Octavia went to bed after that leaving me and Amelia alone in the living room.

"What's up?" Amelia asked. She could never be accused of being subtle.

"Eric and I finally had our talk." I sounded resentful.

"So?"

I shrugged. "He wants to be a couple."

She was thinking that this was like pulling teeth, and she wasn't wrong. "How do you feel about that?"

I shrugged again. "I don't know. What do you think?"

"Well, I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers."

I frowned. "What?"

Amelia laughed. "It means he's hot. So hot that I would willingly endure crumbs in my bed than throw him out."

"Oh. And that's good, is it?"

"Of course that's good!" she said, like I was an idiot not to see this."He's also, especially for a vampire, a good guy." In her head I saw her first boyfriend, he'd abused her and Amelia thought Eric was worth a thousand of him. "Human men aren't always what they're cracked up to be and I know you care for him." I reinforced my shield, I didn't want to be intruding on such private memories.

"But can he care for me?" I asked. It wasn't that I disbelieved him when he said he loved me, but was vampire love like human love?

"Oh, Sookie, of course he cares for you." She shook her head sadly sounding exasperated. "Why do you think he surrendered to that Victor guy? It just about took everything he had to do that and the only reason he did is because you could get hurt if he didn't."

I'd never thought of that. Was it true?

I brooded on that while Amelia made me some herbal tea to help me sleep. When she came back she had obviously been mulling something over herself.

"Did you ever think," she began, hesitantly. "Well, that maybe you're projecting Bill onto Eric. You expect Eric to hurt you because Bill did."

I opened my mouth to protest but on second thought, it did make sense. "You think that's what I've been doing?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I do think it's possible. You don't exactly have much experience dating, and now I think you're looking for the bad."

"So you think I should date a dead guy!?" okay, I should have said another dead guy, and I perhaps shouldn't have been so sharp, but still, wasn't there anyone around here who DIDN'T like Eric? They should form a damn fan club or something! Where was Arlene when you needed her?

"Sorry."

Her contrition burst my bubble and I sighed. "No, my fault, I'm the bitch here. Sorry."

Her smile told me I was forgiven. She drifted to bed after that, afraid to offer further opinions. Of course I picked them out from her head, but I couldn't berate her for what she was thinking.

The tea did its job and I was in bed a while later, wondering if I was being a momentous fool for even considering turning Eric down.

III

The next morning I was working the early shift. It had been lucky that the day before had been my day off because I hadn't even considered work or calling Sam or changing shifts.

A few years ago it would have been inconceivable to me that work would ever be driven so far from my thoughts.

I worked my shifts, smiled at my customers and performed to the best of my ability. Of course Sam noticed I was distracted. How could he not. He didn't ask me about it though because I wasn't upset or moody, just preoccupied. I guess he was leaving it to me to talk about if I wanted.

I would make up my mind to say something (surely he wouldn't be an Eric fan too) then I'd chicken out. It surprised me that there was a part of me that didn't want to hear people thought badly of Eric.

Eric didn't contact me that week, but he did send me flowers. I considered calling to thank him, but it was too impersonal. I needed to thank him face to face, once I'd made up my mind.

Pam or Bill were either in the bar or at my house each night. I didn't mind.

Finally on Friday I decided to speak to Sam. He was my friend too and he deserved to have his say. I was on the day shift again so no Eric or Pam to avoid. Once the lunch rush was over we went back to his office.

"What's up?" he asked, tipping his chair back.

"Eric."

"What's he done now?"

"He remembers that time when he was cursed," My voice was very soft.

Sam's eyes grew wide. "Oh."

I nodded, that sounded about right.

"He wants to marry me," my eyes were fixed on my hands and my voice was still little more than a whisper.

Sam puffed air out with his cheeks. "How do you feel about that?"

I shrugged. I was going a lot of that lately. "I don't know."

"And you want my opinion?"

"Please."

"It's too soon for marriage."

"I know. He hasn't asked me, exactly, just stated that when I'm ready, he wants to marry me."

Sam was silent for a long while and I risked a few glances at him. He was staring over my head, presumably replaying his various encounters with Eric. Or maybe he was trying to find a nice way to say how he felt.

"Sookie, you know I hate you being so involved with vampires and you know I wish you could leave them alone. I also know that, for whatever reason, you cant. You'd certainly be safer if you were… more formally attached to Eric."

Even Sam wasn't going to bad mouth Eric! I was beginning to feel like I had stepped into some parallel universe.

"I didn't think you liked Eric."

"I don't, really. But I have a… grudging sort of respect for him. As a sheriff he's well liked among the supes, or as well liked as a vampire can be."

This was actually an excellent character reference, if you considered the source.

"And I know he feels strongly about you. I don't claim to understand your fascination with him, nor do I agree with it, but he does seem to return your feelings."

I was distracted as I drove home because my deadline was approaching. Eric hadn't given me one, but I had decided that I had until Friday night. Any longer would be cruel to Eric. So if I was going to see him, I needed to have made my decision before I left the house.

Some part of me must have already known what that decision would be, but it wasn't until I deciding what to wear that I realised I had known all along what my answer should be.

III

I walked passed the line in front of Fangtasia and straight to the door. I was feeling pretty good tonight so blocking the unchristian thoughts of those waiting in line was relatively easy. I could have gone in the staff entrance but I knew Eric would be on the floor rather than his office on a busy Friday night.

Pam was on the door tonight with Felicia. Pam smiled when she saw me but Felicia frowned. I guess she still thought I was going to get her killed.

"Sookie," Pam leaned down and kissed my cheek and whispered, "Go easy on him." As she stood up I saw she still had a smile in place. "Follow me," she instructed in her most regal voice (for the patrons) as she led me into the club. I expected her to leave me at the bar while she told him I was here but instead she led me straight to his table. He was using one of the booths tonight, although he was alone.

He smiled when he saw me, the genuine one that wrinkles his cheeks. "Dear one," he said as he stood to meet me. He cast his eyes over my dress and then bent down, brushing his lips over mine. "You look even more radiant than usual, if that's possible." I felt a thrill at the hungry look I'd seen in his eyes.

My dress had been in Tara's Toga's three months ago, and it hadn't been on sale, it had been an impulse buy I could scarcely afford and I'd berated myself over it ever since. I hadn't returned it though, and now I knew why. I'd bought it because Eric would like it.

"Thank you for the flowers," I smiled.

"I'm pleased you liked them. Come, sit." He took my hand and led me the few steps back to his booth.

I slid into the booth and was surprised to find a gin and tonic waiting for me. "Did you know I was coming?" I asked.

"I felt your anticipation, I hoped you were." His smile faded. "Have you come to a decision?"

"Yes, dependent on a few conditions."

He took that well. "Go on," he told me, reaching across to take my hand.

"First, you can only drink from me two nights in a row, I need the third to recover."

"I won't take as much as Bill did," he said smoothly. "I don't need to."

Oh. Well yes, I did remember something about that. "Okay, then we'll see how it goes." Oh, this was a great start, I was already compromising. "Second, I don't just want a relationship, I want the intimacy. I want you to trust me, be honest with me."

He nodded. "I have been trying. It is a very new concept to me and there are some things I am forbidden to share, but I will be as open as my position allows. And for the record, I do trust you, Sookie."

"Fair enough. Three, No more lavish gifts. If you break something okay, but I am not a kept woman and I don't want people thinking I am."

He nodded. "Agreed. Is there a forth?" he prompted.

"Finally," this was the hardest one and I looked down at my drink while I spoke. "Sometimes it's hard for me, your way of life. I see things, do things even, that I can't deal with easily. And sometimes I might need to take a break and be around humans a bit more."

He took put one finger under my chin and gently tilted my face up so I was looking at him. "It's better to talk about these things rather than bottle them up." He was probably right.

"But what if it's you who's done them? Who's frightened me or sickened me?"

"I'll still want to know. I will give you space when you ask for it, Sookie, but not for ever. I won't allow you to cut me out of your life, I couldn't stand it." He raised my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Neither could you," he added, raising an eyebrow as though challenging me to contradict him. In all fairness, especially with our bond, I couldn't.

"Okay then." I said, relived, and more than a little excited by my new relationship.

"I have a few requests to make myself, if I may?"

I noticed he said requests, not conditions like I had. "Shoot."

"Now that you are officially mine, you will be an even bigger target so I'd like to upgrade the security on your house."

"How?"

"An alarm, cameras on the outside, motion detectors inside, sensors on the doors and windows, steel doors, that sort of thing as well as a few wards that could come in handy."

"I think Octavia and Amelia have that pretty well covered," I said.

"There are a few that may be out of their skill set. One in particular, an anti-fire spell."

"But I like having a fire and as I recall, you were pretty fond of it too."

He gave me a grin as he recalled the memory. "It won't affect the inside of the house. It's a ring that surrounds the property that fire can't cross. You can light a match either side of it but if you attempt to cross the line, the flame goes out."

"What about gasoline?"

"Stops dead at the line of protection." He assured me. That could come in very handy. Once I was locked in pretty much the only way to get me out was to burn me out.

"Okay, next request?"

"I'd like to build some, what did you call them, hidey holes?" I nodded. "I'd like to build a few more in and around the house. I'll keep any disruption to a minimum."

I liked the idea of him staying so I readily agreed. His next request was to install light tight shutters in the bedroom, in case I ever had to watch over him again.

"And I did like waking up with you," he flashed me his most seductive smile. "I'd like to try that again."

I agreed. These improvements were for him, therefore I didn't feel like he was buying my affection.

"My final request, I want you to come and work here once a week and I want to put you on Fangtasia's payroll."

I would have assumed he wanted me away from Merlott's except he'd only asked for one night a week. "Don't you have enough waitresses?"

"I don't want you to waitress, I want to use your gift." He looked out around the bar. "The AEA is loose in this area we're a prime target. I want you to keep your ears open for any patrons with suspicious thoughts."

"Are you sure they'll come in before they attack?" I asked, certain that this was not the only reason he wanted me on the payroll, but I had to agree it was a good excuse.

He shook his head. "Everything we've learned about them suggests they're organised, almost like real a military force. They'll do their homework before launching an attack. Friday and Saturday are our busiest nights and that's when we expect them to come, so they can blend in easier."

"What's the pay like?" I asked, suspicious he was trying to give me money.

He told me. It would certainly easy my money worries without being so huge as to offend me. I was still sure there were other reasons, though.

I was sure I could work out something with Sam. "Okay, I'll agree _if_ you tell me your other motives." I challenged.

The look he gave me sent shivers down my spine, but in a very good way. He almost looked pleased I'd pushed him. "First of all, we have a very good health plan, and you'd be covered by that."

That would be nice, I had incurred a lot of hospital bills since I'd been hanging around with vampires. I nodded that this was fine with me.

"Secondly," he slid around the bench until he was sitting right next to me. "I want to show you off. I want every man here to see you and want you and know that you are mine."

Okay, macho bullshit, but it was unavoidable with vampires. Human men too, just to a lesser extent. "Fine." I was grinning. I was his now, and I liked that idea.

He leaned forward and buried his nose in my hair, inhaling deeply. "And finally," he murmured, "I want to do very bad things to you. I want to bend you over my desk and fuck you till you scream, I want to take you against every wall and over every table in this establishment so I have the memories for the nights you aren't here."

I put a hand on his chest and pushed. I tried to keep the smile from my lips but I wasn't entirely successful. "You know this is sexual harassment, right? I could sue your ass off."

He smirked. "Aren't there other things you'd rather do to my ass. As I recall, you were very fond of it."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "It's okay, I guess."

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "You'll pay for that tonight." I couldn't wait.

Before I knew it he was out of the booth and standing beside me. "Dance with me?"

I took his offered hand, feeling a little shaky. Just being around Eric was very damaging to my self control. He led me to the dance floor. There had been a few couples dancing, but they all stopped when Eric took to the floor. I felt dozens of eyes on me and I began to feel self conscious. I kept my gaze firmly on Eric's chest. WDED was paying Strangers in the Night, a slow song so his arms encircled my waist and mine automatically went around his neck.

He bent his head to my ear. "Self conscious, lover?"

I nodded.

"Hmm, that won't do." He kissed my neck, the way he had when we was staying with me and my mind flew back to those times. I closed my eyes and I moaned softly. His lips began kissing their way, gently, to my mouth and I kissed him eagerly. I could feel his erection pressing into my hip and I wished we weren't surrounded by people. I would have given anything to be alone with him just then.

Slowly he pulled away, staring into my eyes. "Better?" he grinned cockily, so sure was he of his own prowess.

Ordinarily, I'm not one for public displays of affection, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted more so I shrugged, indifferently. "Not bad?"

His eyebrows rose incredulously. I was beginning to see why Pam enjoyed teasing him so much. It was a lot of fun.

The next step I took was into thin air. I panicked a moment until I realised Eric had raised us a few inches off of the dance floor. We were still gently turning. I would have swatted him for scaring me but I was clinging too tightly and didn't dare let go. I clung tightly to him and he gasped with pleasure, his eyes smouldering down at me.

His lips captured mine again in a punishing kiss, his fangs grazing my lips. I moaned my appreciation. The kiss didn't end and suddenly I found his hands had moved, though we were still floating. He ended the kiss and bent me backwards, leaning over my exposed neck. I wondered if he was going to bite me here, in front of everyone, and found that I didn't care if he did. Instead he settled for a little nip. To my surprise, I shuddered and came.

I felt my feet touch firm ground and he gently lifted me upright. I was embarrassed. I could only hope no one noticed. Eric knew, of course, and I suspected the other vamps could tell. Eric's eyes were hooded with desire.

I reached up on my tip toes and whispered in his ear. "If you don't fuck me in the next sixty seconds I'll spontaneously combust."

Before I knew what was happening he had swept me into his arms like Rhet Butler (good, because I wasn't sure I could walk straight) carried me through to his office and sat me on the edge of his desk. My dress was pushed up, my panties ripped off and he was inside me. It felt like coming home. I gasped and clung to his arms, digging my nails in to urge him on.

"Look at me, love."

I did as he asked. I felt very exposed under his gaze, but I guessed that was the thrill of it. His fangs were fully extended and I rolled my head to the right, exposing my neck for him. He licked one fang and then suddenly leaned down and bit into my flesh. I cried out and came again, Eric right behind me.

I was breathing heavily and felt very shaky. Eric was still inside me as he licked at my wound, making sure it was closed and causing the odd ripple of pleasure to pass through me again.

"Better?" he asked.

I cupped his face. "Much," and leaned up to kiss him.

He grinned, picking me up off the desk and settling on the sofa with me cradled in his lap.

"You might as well have just peed on me out there." I laughed and hid my face in his shoulder as I remembered his display on the dance floor.

"You enjoy that?" he asked, with a touch of desire in his voice.

I sat up, shocked, about to tell him that no, I absolutely did not enjoy that sort of thing when I saw he was smirking. Apparently he enjoyed teasing me too.

I swatted his arm gently, after all, I was the only one likely to be hurt by such a gesture, and settled back on his lap.

He reached over to the desk and pulled a booklet of bound papers off. "Here," he said, handing it to me.

"What is it?" I asked, puzzled.

"I business plan and some preliminary art work." He looked smug and I had no idea why.

I frowned in confusion. "Eric, I know nothing about business."

"I know," he kissed my cheek. "But I thought you might be interested in this."

He wasn't going to explain so I opened the booklet. The business plan came first, they were income and expenditure, profit and loss forecasts for something called the Forever Young Clinics. I skipped over the business plan and found the art work at the back. It looked like a brochure for a health spa. I slowed to read the text.

"Eric?"

"All your idea, love."

"It was just an observation, I didn't mean you to start a chain of anti ageing clinics."

He grinned. "I've learned to listen to your observations, Sookie. You're very astute and you see things differently. As soon as you said it I realised it was an incredibly profitable idea, but I'd never have seen the opportunity without you."

I was flattered to say the least and kissed him, softly. "Thank you." I didn't want to burst the bubble by mentioning that a lot of women wouldn't want to drink vampire blood, so instead I asked, "How will you get the blood?"

"We'll pay vampires to donate, much like humans donate blood. I'll be a donor myself." Eric was so old his blood would be very valuable to a project like this. "I've already got two witches lined up to make the potions and creams and the human staff here are going to test them for us."

"Amelia and Octavia?" I asked.

He nodded. "They're your friends, which means they're trustworthy." He didn't want anyone else getting wind of his idea and stealing it. They were also very capable witches, as long as Amelia had someone to reign in her wild side. It would also give the two of them some purpose and, especially important in Octavia's case, an income. I doubted this was a coincidence.

"We'll get patents as soon as we can and we expect the first clinic to open in eight months. We're also looking into selling less potent creams commercially."

"What about FDA approval?"

"That's what's so perfect, love, it isn't a drug." He was almost gleeful. "The ingredients of our creams are 100 percent natural."

"You're a very clever man," I told him, meaning every word.

"And you are an exceptionally gifted woman." He kissed me passionately.

"How late do you have to be here tonight?" I panted when he let me surface for air.

"Two o'clock."

I groaned. "Come on, you're the boss, you can take a night off," I tried to sound seductive.

He laughed. "I have to set an example." He tried to sound serious but didn't quite succeed.

I wiggled suggestively on his lap and bit his neck.

He gasped. "Minx," he said, capturing my lips in another crushing kiss. Well, if he wasn't going to leave, we'd just have to christen the sofa too. I threw the booklet to the floor and swung around so I was straddling his lap, pleased to find he was already ready. I lowered myself onto him and took my time riding him, keeping eye contact.

He cupped my cheek with one hand while we climaxed again. I may have just come out of a dry spell, but it now looked like that that was well and truly over.

After a little rearranging of clothes (and borrowing some underwear from Pam) we headed back to the bar. After touring the bar (he said to make sure everything was in order, I thought it was more to show off my recent bite) we settled back into the booth. It seems no one had dared occupy it in Eric's absence. Fresh drinks arrived but Eric refused his True Blood.

"So," he leaned close to me. "What have I missed in the life of Sookie Stackhouse?"

I shrugged. "Nothing much."

He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Your Grandfather said he looked an address up for you."

I'd forgotten I hadn't told him about that. So I did and he listened, seemingly fascinated. He could have been faking interest, it was hard to tell with vampires.

That's what I like them.


	3. Chapter 3

An Undersanding now has a sequel, Never Runs Smoothly.

If you ejoyed this, please take a look. .net/s/4633490/1/Never_Runs_Smoothly


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